72 hours left
by atiralc
Summary: After that, it'll be too late.
1. Prologue

72 hours left.

 _After that, it'll be too late._

 **Prologue**

She kept receiving those flowers, those goddamned flowers.

Why wouldn't they stop?

When she first read about the language of flowers and their meanings, she understood that this 'gift' was not sent with good intentions.

 **A/N: To all of you, who have read this story before, I owe you my deepest apologies. I'm sorry for not posting before and I'm sorry for deleting all the chapters. But this story needed serious changes so I'm starting it from scratch. (28-07-2017)**

 **A/N 2:** In this story, Naru and Lin retuned to Japan three months after they left, reopening SPR with the old team. They all know that Gene is Mai's spirit guide.


	2. Chapter 1 – The mysterious flowers

" _Our life is made by the death of others." Leonardo da Vinci._

 **Chapter 1 – The mysterious flowers**

Returning to Japan had been Naru's first and almost only choice. The thought of staying in England brought shivers down his spine. He loved his parents and cherished other two or three people over there, but he couldn't love that house any more. Not the place that screamed Gene in every corner; not the pictures of his smiling careless face; neither his room, where everything brought him memories of they shared past and the sinking realization that they no longer had a future.

And his grave.

He couldn't even think of his grave, the severity that surrounded the air, the unforgiving silence and the dull and terrifying pain that clenched his heart and made him feel like there wasn't any air around him.

Because he knew far too well that when Gene had died, a part of him, dare he say almost his whole life, had been gone with him. The image of the casket going down only deepened that wound.

The excuse of Japan's supernatural activity, the already bonded team and the opportunity to work on his own was just that, a lame excuse. Lin knew it, Martin knew it, Luella knew it. He knew it. And yet they all shut up, because he wasn't the only one affected, and his parents made the decision that the only son that they had left should be able to live his life and not spend the rest of it walking and sitting in an obscure office like a soulless body.

Oliver wouldn't dream of forgetting Eugene, he would never let him die in his heart either. But he could keep him alive in Japan too, in England both of them would have died.

The only question Lin had asked him was regarding Mai. He could've lied and said that she was just a part of his team. And yet he had had to lie all that time, he couldn't bring himself to repeat the tedious course of action again. He told him the truth, "I don't know" had been his answer. Because albeit he being a genius, if he couldn't even get his head out of the gutter when it came to social interaction, he sure as hell couldn't wrap his mind around love.

Yes, returning to Japan had been his only choice.

* * *

It was around five in the morning when the team started packing up. They had been through a rather awful case, and everyone was eager to leave the place. It took them almost two weeks to solve it, much to their dismay.

Luckily it was summer and Mai didn't have to worry about school, she still had three weeks to relax.

They were done in less than half an hour. After bowing the now ex-clients, everyone got to their positions. This had been their second case since the team was together and it had been a nightmare.

Monk was behind the wheel, next to a still fuming self-proclaimed Miko, (who couldn't forget what Mai had been through the entire time, still mumbling that she would kick this Gene spirit guide's ass when she had the chance for not stopping Mai's visions). Behind, an also angry medium, who wanted to be with her one 'true love', instead of a car full with restless people. In the middle, the poor father Brown, who could only smile sheepishly at the oncoming travel and, on the last seat, a very happy evil-grinning Shasuhara -who had supposedly caught Monk and Ayako hugging and decided to take a picture for future blackmailing-.

On the van Lin was driving, with a slight frown getting through is always steady features, with the companion's seat filled with files, all notes of the case. Behind, against the window was the boss, next to an already dazing off assistant, who to her right, was also surrounded with files.

They had ahead of them a two hours ride. It had only been five miles when Mai had totally fell asleep. She had tried to make herself comfortable against the papers, but a sudden turn on the road made her forehead hit straight to the corner of a box, getting her awake. Naru had to suppress a chuckle, she couldn't be funnier. But his thought was soon replaced with an almost invisible worry, when he saw that it had actually hurt her. She held a hand to her head and was cursing under her breath, which wasn't new. He could even swear she herd 'tea-loving jerk' among the lines.

But then, again, five miles passed and she was out of it, only to have replaced her previous pillow with Naru's shoulder, much to his comfort. He liked the contact, though he could tell that Lin was shooting glares at him through the mirror. Not that he would care nor show, but feeling her warm body and steady breathing made him feel reassured or something more in the lines of happiness, though he wouldn't say it was that either.

When they were finally entering Tokyo Mai woke up, but decided to keep her head resting. She was bone-tired and couldn't care less if Naru didn't complain.

When her cellphone marked 7:00, an alarm was set off, breaking the silence. She had completely forgot about this, as her face showed some panic, she wouldn't make it on time to her apartment. Both male noticed the damsel in distress, but decided to let it go.

The alarm reminded her that in two days was her birthday.

They reached the office half an hour later, and it seemed that Monk's car had fled the scene. Apparently, they were not helping to unpack the equipment.

Naru received a text that John was needed in the church, some sort of emergency. It said that the rest would turn up after giving him a lift -though, he was almost sure that wouldn't happen-.

It took them a long hour to set everything back in the office. Mai was about to leave when she heard "Mai… tea."

She sighed, 'Of course the narcissistic tea loving jerk would want some' she thought. He was unbelievable.

She asked Lin if he wanted some, who gave a short nod as a response.

Just when the kettle had started to boil, the door swung open and she herd the rest of the team coming in. She popped her head through the kitchen's door and asked if anyone wanted tea. Of course they all did, even Masako.

Getting more cups ready, she poured the water and prepared it. After placing most of the cups on the coffee table, she took one to Lin's office, who thanked her, and finally to her boss. He would be pissed off as it had took too long for him to have his precious tea, but she didn't care. If he was rude, he was sure to get the tea last. She was about to knock when the door opened, revealing a not so happy Naru… _"Told ya…"_

Though Mai soon realized it wasn't because of the tea's timing, it was a rather mischievous look towards the rest of the team.

"I see you have arrived, though not in time to help with the equipment."

"Boss-san, you did get my message, right?"

"I did, that doesn't mean that on the next case you will be in charge of loading and unloading the van."

"Hey! But it was an emer…"

"Don't you thing that by now I would know that the church is only 15 minutes away from here if you are walking? I assumed he would even got there faster if you hadn't dragged him in the car through the traffic."

Mai was quite amused, she was sure she could hear a pin drop.

"Moreover, I saw your car parked on the other side of the _Caffé_. Mind to enlighten me if there was, indeed, an emergency there?" With that he slipped his tea, which gave him a more terrorizing look, as he was extremely calmed.

Mai had to admit that she was having trouble keeping her laughter under control. She decided that she was not going to be used as a shield against the boss this time as her shoulders felt sore for the heavy lifting. She could sense three pair of eyes burning her neck as she went inside the kitchen. Somehow she decided to tidy up the counter.

By the time she had finished doing so, the team was already chatting. Then, she heard a knock on the door. _"If it's another case, I swear I'm gonna die"_.

Yasu, seeing that the petit assistant wasn't done, put up his role and went to get the door. He was slightly taken aback, you could tell by his posture and the fact that he wasn't moving… nor talking.

Both Naru and Mai appeared, sharing a sigh. Mai for the thought of a new case and Naru, for Yasuhara's incompetence.

"Yes, may I help you sir?" He asked, still shocked, but now surely amused. The rest of the team couldn't see who was on the other side of the door and wouldn't even dare to spy, as they saw Naru.

"Yes, thank you. I'm looking for Taniyama Mai. Is she currently here?"

And with that Mai facepalmed herself. She recognized the voice, bloody hell, she was not going to get rid of the questions they would certainly shoot at her.

"Yes Tanaka-san. Here I am." She approached the door, moving Yasu.

"Oh dear, good morning. You see, I went to your house, but you weren't there so your landlord told me where you worked" Clearly this guy didn't notice the 'shut up' glares he was receiving "and you know how this is supposed to be delivered on time, I guess it won't be a problem that I change the address. Though I'm slightly surprised, I was sure it was supposed to be in two days…"

"Well yes, it is supposed to be in two days, but I got the strange feeling that I'd be receiving more this year."

"Still very lucky Mai-chan. It has persisted through the years. I though after the first one it was going to stop, I must admit."

And he had to clarify to everyone that an extended time lapse existed. Just how great could that be? Mai could sense that everyone was now tense behind her, they were actually behaving extremely well.

With that she thanked Tanaka-san and entered the office with a bucket of cypress flowers. Both Ayako and Masako gasped. Even Lin was there just… watching.

"My my…" was all Ayako said.

"Jou-chan! What's the occasion?"

"Well… you see…"She was sure her face was crimson by now.

"Mai-chan! Why you wouldn't tell us you had a boyfriend?!" Yasu almost screamed. Mai swore she saw Naru paled.

"That's not it Yasu!"

"It's obvious that it is not a boyfriend, Yasuhara-san" Masako interrupted. Everyone was slightly surprised at her comment.

"Care to explain?" He asked, still confused.

"Well, anyone who has the sightless knowledge about the language of flowers could tell that." Masako noticed that all the guys, except for John and Lin, just stared at her, so she kept on explaining "cypress flowers are not very common, but I'm sure they mean despair, mourning…" she hid her face at her last statement with her kimono's sleeve "or death."

Mai gasped, she was now going to faint for sure. She truly didn't want to explain this, heck, she didn't want any of this to happen.

With that, the guys had like an "o" expression, even Naru, who couldn't care less about the supposed meaning of flowers.

"Yeah… that's it. It's a little complicated though." Mai hoped they would dropped the subject, thus it was a rather stupid plead…

She saw how Naru and Lin got comfortable, all waiting for her explanation. She sighed, this wasn't going to be easy. They waited for her to get the flowers on a vase, sit down and then stare at the now very interesting pattern on her skirt.

"Do I really have to explain?"

"Yes" Was Naru's response.

"Well… you see…" She just couldn't say it…

…

"Ok, you need some help Jou-chan. Let's start with the most important question. Who send them?"

…

…

"I… I'm not sure."

…

That was it, the temperature on the room dropped. Heck, Mai would have love that it had been a ghost.

"You don't know?" Monk asked.

"But the guy said that they have been coming for years now! How on earth can you not know?" Ayako mumbled out.

"I just simply don't. The first time they came I was twelve and it was on my birthday. There was no card so I thought that the flower shop had forgotten and went there. Apparently, it was sent anonymously."

"And that's it?" – Ayako asked.

"Of course not, I got scared but my mom said it was probably some guy from school who was too scared to confront me. After she passed away, the bouquets kept showing up, on my birthday and two more times each year, and the dates of those don't mean anything to me." she deadpanned.

"Ok…" They were all quite shocked. Monk proceeded, wanting more information "And why, as that man said, this was sent two days earlier?"

"Because in two days it's my birthday." she clenched my fists, now her eyes were starting to get dangerously filled with tears that she would not let fall.

"And… had they come earlier last year too?"

"No, but last year I received some weird phone calls so I guessed that this year something like this could happen."

"You guessed? How can you be so calm Mai! There's someone out there who is obviously obsessed with you!"Ayako almost screamed "Do you even understand that this could be dangerous?"

Some anger built up on Mai, sending all tears away "Of course I do! I can't do anything about it…" She trailed of, meeting Naru's eyes for a split second "It doesn't matter."

"Mai, I don't think you understand that it should matter" Yasu added.

"And don't you think I know that?" she snapped "I would rather walk on the street without having to look over my shoulder and spend my birthday happy instead of feeling watched. Do you think I'm ok with any of this? It's beyond my will."

Masako, Ayako and Monk were angry. Yasu wouldn't yell, but his face was twisted with worriness. Lin's face was worried, while Naru's was of pure wrath. He could not let this happen. Even if he still was uncertain of her feelings, afraid that they might be for Gene, he couldn't live knowing that there was some god damned stranger stalking her, his assistant.

And then the information sunk into Monk's brain "Hang on a second Mai" he was dead serious now "If the flowers started showing up when you were twelve, does that mean that they were sent to your old house?."

"See you have cached up pretty fast" Mai said.

"I don't understand the difference" Ayako suddenly spoke "Why does that matter? Whoever this is, it's still creepy".

"It matters because Mai doesn't live in that house anymore, and the flowers were sent to her teacher's house and then to her apartment. That is classified information, Mai is a minor, how would somebody even know her address?"

"God! That's awful" She gasped in return

"Wouldn't that mean that you know the person?" Masako spoke.

"No, because I didn't even live in the city with my mom and my teacher did. I lost contact with all my friends and the family friends."

"Someone from child services?" Yasu pointed

"And why would they start sending flowers months before my mom's death?"

And with that Naru almost made everything on the room crash. Not only she had been harassed by someone, it appeared that it wasn't going to be easy to find. Lin shot him a glare, his Shiki had triggered off due to Naru's outrage.

He looked at him and reassured that he was fine. Well, fine enough not to break the building, but not fine with any of this out-of-nowhere information.

 **A/N:** I know, Mai's true birthday is the third of July, and summer vacations in Japan usually start on the 20th and last for around 6 weeks. I hope you don't mind. She's now about to turn 18, meaning that she has been on the team for 2 years. Let's just say that all the cases, the apparition of Gene, and Naru returning to Japan happened in that time lap. Mai would be ending High School this year, as now we would be on the summer break, meaning that after this, she would start the second term.


End file.
